Another year, another summer event in Overwatch. For the first time since Overwatch 2’s launch, the Summer Games are back with Summer Games 2023. Like all previous years, common staples like Lucioball and beach-themed skins obviously return, given a small facelift thanks to the move to OW2. Alongside the old, though, are a few new things, primarily a new set of event challenges to award an exclusive Epic Doomfist Skin and a new arcade game mode called Winston’s Beach Volleyball. Of course, there’s also a shop refresh starring a Mercy skin for anyone with Overwatch Credits burning a hole in their pocket. There’s a lot to do and a lot of fun to be had.
Here’s everything you need to know about Overwatch 2 Summer Games 2023.
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Summer Games Exclusive Game Modes
Winston’s Beach Volleyball
New to the Summer Games this year is Winston’s Beach Volley, joining the beloved Lucioball as yet another sporty-themed arcade mode. As the name implies, you’ll be swapping out Lucio and football for a fun game of volleyball. As a team of 3, you’ll hope to spike a massive oversized volleyball to the opposite side of the court, all the while trying to stop your opponents from doing the same. The first team to reach 10 points takes home the win.
Unlike Lucioball you aren’t limited to only playing Lucio: in fact, you have a whole array of characters to choose from, all in their best summer attire. Each character can only use melee attacks to bounce the ball, alongside a small selection of character-exclusive moves – for example, Echo can still fly and Ashe can use her coach gun to push away the ball. There’s a real sense of mastery if you’re willing to take this funny game mode seriously, with each character having their own strengths and weaknesses.
You’ll find Winston’s Beach Volleyball as the main game mode in the Arcade section of Overwatch 2 during Summer Games 2023. There are a handful of event challenges related to Winston’s Beach Volleyball, mostly pretty easy ones, that will award you a variety of cosmetics for completing them. If nothing else, it’s worth a game or two to hear Winston as the commentator for the event.
Winston’s Beach Volleyball
Lucioball Returns
Of course, you cannot have a Summer Games event in Overwatch without the original sporty arcade game mode: Lucioball. This mode remains much like it has over the last several years, pitting two teams of Lucios against one another. Your goal is to score a massive oversized football into your opponent’s net while stopping them at the same time. You can still use of Lucio’s unique mobility kit such as jumping and wall-running to achieve your goals (literally).
There are three different maps, each with its obstacles and terrains that players will need to consider when they take to the pitch. Additionally, there are two versions of Lucioball available – classic and remix – with the latter featuring a constant barrage of footballs for you to track of.
No matter which kind of Lucioball you prefer, they both contribute to several different Summer Games challenges just like in Winston’s Beach Volleyball. These games are similarly tame and will only take you a couple of matches to conquer.
Lucioball Returns
Summer Games 2023 Event Challenges
As with any major event in Overwatch 2, Summer Games 2023 has a whole range of new event-exclusive challenges for players to take part in. Each challenge has a unique cosmetic reward attached to it, ranging from player icons to sprays to emotes to even a full Epic skin. There are 10 Summer Games challenges in total which you can complete in any order: just be sure to clear them up before the event ends and they, and their associated rewards, become unavailable.
- Summer Sandsation: Complete 6 Summer Games 2023 Event Challenges
- Winston’s Ace: Complete 5 games of Winston’s Beach Volleyball. Wins grant double progress.
- Ultimate Player: As a team, score 3 points with Ultimate Play in Winston’s Beach Volleyball.
- Lucio’s Striker: Complete 5 games of Luciuoball or Lucioball Remix. Wins grant double progress.
- Ultimate Breakdown: Use your ultimate 3 times in Lucioball or Lucioball Remix.
- Multi-Sport Champ: Score a total of 60 assists, saves, or goals in Winston’s Beach Volleyball, Lucioball or Lucioball Remix.
- Fun in the Sun: Complete 6 games. Wins grant double progress.
- Midsummer Winner: Complete 12 games. Wins grant double progress.
- Shining Athlete: Complete 18 games. Wins grant double progress.
- Summer Champion: Complete 24 games. Wins grant double progress.
Manage to best everything the Summer Games throws at you and you’ll earn yourself 50,000 Battle Pass EXP, equalling 5 levels to the current Battle Pass. You’ll also get yourself a Doomfist Victory Pose, the Lucioball Weapon Charm, sporty player icons featuring Lifeweaver, Sojourn, Kiriko, Junker Queen and Ramattra, as well as sprays featuring those same characters.
Summer Games 2023 Event Challenges
Free Epic Doomfist Skin
The best Summer Games 2023 reward and the one most players will be gunning for is a summery outfit for the one, and only, Doomfist. As an Epic skin, the Tropical Doomfist skin doesn’t change a lot about Doomfist’s actual design but it does add some key elements to give him the summer vibes. On top of a nifty-looking straw hat and sunglasses to fit right in with all the other beach-goers, Doomfist’s tropical look also features a more colourful take on his Overwatch 2 design.
To grab this exclusive Tropical Doomfist skin, players will need to complete the Summer Sandsation event challenge before Summer Games 2023 comes to an end. This challenge involves completing 6 other Summer Games 2023 challenges, the majority of which take place in either Lucioball or the new Winston’s Beach Volleyball arcade mode. There are a few challenges for general play but if you want to get Doomfist beach ready as soon as possible, we recommend aiming for the arcade challenges first.
Once you’ve cleared any 6 challenges from the Summer Games 2023 challenge tab, the Epic Tropical Doomfist skin will be all yours. Be sure to nab it before the event ends on July 24th.
Tropical Doomfist
Summer Shop Refresh
Finally, like every Overwatch 2 event, there’s a big shop refresh to try and convince you to part with your hard-earned cash.
The main focus this year is Blizzard’s secret weapon: the Legendary Lifeguard Skin for Mercy. This skin looks straight out of Baywatch, giving Mercy a classic red outfit for patrolling the pool, scarlet-coloured angel wings and plenty of other cheesy details to sell the look. You can purchase this Legendary skin on its own for 1900 Overwatch Coins by visiting Mercy’s Hero page and buying it directly from there. If you want to go whole hog on the summery theme, you can pick up the Lifeguard Skin alongside a new Mercy Highlight Intro (titled Rescue Run), weapon charm and spray for 2600 Overwatch Coins.
Aside from the leading lady, other summery skins will filter in and out over the event’s 2-week duration. For the first week, featured items include the Poolside Bundle featuring the Poolside Ashe Skin and related cosmetics, the Sand Castle Bastion Bundle, Ice Cream Orisa Bundle, Sunset Pharah Bundle and the Scuba Bundle for Sigma. A reminder that a lot of previous Summer Games skins for Overwatch 1 are available for Legacy Credits: if you have enough and want to participate in the summer spirit without spending, they’re your best option.
Summer Shop Refresh
That was everything you needed to know about the Summer Games 2023 event in Overwatch 2. Summer Games 2023 ends on July 25th.
